War Machine

Name: War Machine
Genre: Drama, Comedy, War
Released: May 26, 2017
Duration: 122 min
Rating: 56
Cast: Alan Ruck, Anthony Hayes, Anthony Michael Hall, Aymen Hamdouchi, Brad Pitt

2017

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Mixed or average reviews based on 30 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 85 Ratings

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6.0	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 85 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Netflix | Release Date: May 26, 2017 | TV-MA

Starring: Alan Ruck, Anthony Hayes, Anthony Michael Hall, Aymen Hamdouchi, Brad Pitt, Daniel Betts, Emory Cohen, John Magaro, RJ Cyler, Topher Grace

Summary: An absurdist war story for our times, writer-director David Michôd recreates a U.S. General’s roller-coaster rise and fall as part reality, part savage parody – raising the specter of just where the line between them lies today. His is an exploration of a born leader’s ultra-confident march right into the dark heart of folly. At the story’sAn absurdist war story for our times, writer-director David Michôd recreates a U.S. General’s roller-coaster rise and fall as part reality, part savage parody – raising the specter of just where the line between them lies today. His is an exploration of a born leader’s ultra-confident march right into the dark heart of folly. At the story’s core is Brad Pitt’s sly take on a successful, charismatic four-star general who leapt in like a rock star to command NATO forces in Afghanistan, only to be taken down by a journalist’s no-holds-barred exposé. [Netflix]… Expand

Director: David Michôd

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy, War

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 122 min

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Critic Reviews

Kenneth Turan

May 24, 2017

War Machine is the first of Australian filmmaker Michod's three films...to have a dominant sense of humor. What unites it with its predecessors is Michod's fierce intelligence and formidable directing skill. Read full review

Time Out London Tom Huddleston

May 29, 2017

A messy, troubling and strangely enjoyable film. Read full review

Bilge Ebiri

Jun 15, 2017

It’s a complex subject, to say the least. And the film struggles at times with trying to make parodic jabs at a serious topic – it never quite seems to go far enough with its satire. But Pitt’s ridiculous, wildly over-the-top performance somehow keeps it all together. Whenever he’s onscreen, the film finds its soul, its heart, and its funny bone. Read full review

Matt Donato

May 25, 2017

Michôd’s military dramedy is more about press tours, TV interviews and power plays. That’s what makes this Netflix new release redeeming in its political poignancy – but having Brad Pitt doesn’t hurt. Read full review

Alissa Wilkinson

May 25, 2017

It’s not a great film, but it’s interesting one. Read full review

Sara Stewart

May 25, 2017

Half dark, deliciously topical political satire and half somber portrait of a flailing counterinsurgency effort. The two don’t mesh well, and given the number of modern war movies already out there, it should have stuck with the former. Read full review

The Telegraph Robbie Collin

May 25, 2017

A fantastically dreary and flatulent anti-war satire. Read full review

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User Reviews

sassymah

May 26, 2017

The media's smear campaign and bias against this film is really being destructive. The injustice of the reviews who refuse to understand the relevance and poignancy of this film really is unsettling. War Machine is one of the most intelligent, complex, nuanced, and provocative films of 2017.The media's smear campaign and bias against this film is really being destructive. The injustice of the reviews who refuse to understand the relevance and poignancy of this film really is unsettling. War Machine is one of the most intelligent, complex, nuanced, and provocative films of 2017. A worthy Oscar contender with strong performances across the board and sharp writing is being trashed with the press agenda against Brad, this film, and netflix. The film neither glorifies or vilifies the military. It is about government dsyfunction and shades of gray in policies of war. The bad reviews against this film are superficial, crass, and do not appear to grasp the dark tone of satire.

War Machine is The Big Short of war films and has the kind of dark underlying humor that Inglourious Basterds or Burn After Reading had. War Machine is a superior film to Allied or Fury, so the fact that the biased reviews are giving a extraordinary and compelling film like War Machine a lower score than those films is really disturbing to me.

Brad is a revelation here. His performance contains a range and a level of verstaility that perfectly embodies the absurdist satirical tone of the piece. There is a lot of sensitivity and humanity given to his performance as well as a gonzo levity and portrayal of human arrogance/falliability. Topher Grace, Lakeith Stanfield, Tilda Swinton, Meg Tilly, Ben Kingsley, and the entire ensemble all give grounded performances that perfectly off-set the deconstruction and nuanced nature of this film. There are no clear cut good guys or bad guys in this movie.

It is all about exposing the flawed doctrines of insurgency and occupation. I would recommend this film for smart viewers. This film deserves Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor, Original Score, Cinematography, and Editing. Alas, the sleazy press who is determined to make this captivating, groundbreaking and yet strange film a debacle is going to negatively impact its chances.… Expand

6 of 8 users found this helpful62

DanielFere

May 27, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Brad Pitt was able to mix seriousness with comedy. A fanstastic production of Netflix with one of the best actors. The criticism should pay more attention to the script, the theme, director. War Machine is a great story and very well told.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

trinitycrazy

Jul 25, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In a quick little summary, if you don't like political satire of the US and a rather anti-war type theme, you will not like this movie. Do not come into it expecting a lot of action as there is only one action scene lasting about 10 minutes. If you are OK with this, it will be a hell of a ride. War Machine is a well done, yet imperfect movie on the United State's rather controversial job in Afghanistan. It shows the vanity of fighting in Afghanistan from the point of view of a rather satirical general, who more or less demonstrates in a very exaggerated way, the logic of many generals in the US army. All of them believing in one way or another, the war in Afghanistan could be won. When in reality, this is everything but the truth. Despite a quick change of tone in the beginning of the movie and some rather side tracking sub plots, the movie was a very enjoyable take on Afghanistan. And its ending wraps up the entire movie up nicely, summarizing our attempts in Afghanistan quite nicely.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

drlowdon

Jun 5, 2017

Based loosely on real life events War Machine tells the story of Glenn McMahon as he attempts to command NATO forces in Afghanistan. The movie is a satirical look at the doomed attempts of fighting insurgents and how these wars can never be won, despite numerous military leaders’ claims toBased loosely on real life events War Machine tells the story of Glenn McMahon as he attempts to command NATO forces in Afghanistan. The movie is a satirical look at the doomed attempts of fighting insurgents and how these wars can never be won, despite numerous military leaders’ claims to the contrary. It certainly raises a few interesting ideas, and is relatively funny in places, but the targets are too broad and the movie a little too unfocused (the scenes with McMahon and his wife seem out of place) for it to be considered truly successful.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

The3AcademySins

Aug 4, 2017

A very, very solid film in which Brad Pitt and the cast get to show off some nice acting chops. War Machine does a great job in telling a fictionalized version of the story of General McCrystal. While the script does kind of conflict with the narrative of reality, this is a good choice ifA very, very solid film in which Brad Pitt and the cast get to show off some nice acting chops. War Machine does a great job in telling a fictionalized version of the story of General McCrystal. While the script does kind of conflict with the narrative of reality, this is a good choice if you are interested at all in the War in Afghanistan.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

psyberdelic

May 30, 2017

Netflix missed the real story. Having Pitt play the McChrystal stand in character McMahon as a doofus as opposed to a tragic figure is a shame. The real life commander went from an innovative leader to someone who didn't follow his own ideas. As a result we could have had a moving storyNetflix missed the real story. Having Pitt play the McChrystal stand in character McMahon as a doofus as opposed to a tragic figure is a shame. The real life commander went from an innovative leader to someone who didn't follow his own ideas. As a result we could have had a moving story about a fall from grace but got a dumb cariacture instead.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

darshienmix

May 28, 2017

This movie is like a balloon filled with style. When it pops, there is no substance left. The director set out to make the case that he knows more about anti-insurgency than some of the best American generals, yet he offers no arguments, no facts from the ground, caricature portraits ofThis movie is like a balloon filled with style. When it pops, there is no substance left. The director set out to make the case that he knows more about anti-insurgency than some of the best American generals, yet he offers no arguments, no facts from the ground, caricature portraits of every American in the command chain, and a sky-high pile of moral-superiority turd. When you think everyone else is a joke, chances are that the joke is on you.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

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